Plate-bending apparatus.



A. M. SAUNDERS. PLATE BENDING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 8, 1909.

Patented July 19, 1910.

2 SHEETS-$111531 1.

IVENTOR Q11Lmm Patented July 19, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wwwgsmzs WCLWM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS M. SAUNDERS, OF MCKEESPORT PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'I'O NATIONALTUBE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PLATE-BEN DING Al?PAIL-EATUS.

Applioation filed December 8, 1909. Serial No. 531,965

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS M. SAUN- DERS, of McKeesport, Alleghenycounty, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Plate-Bending Apparatus, of which the following is afull, clear, and. exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in Which-Figure 1 is a longitudinal side elevation showing the overhead travelingram as constructed and applied for use in'connection with power bendingrolls-in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional endelevation of the same on the line 11- 11 of Fig. 1.

in being made into pipes or tubes. Hereto- My invention relates toapparatus used in connection with power bending rolls for bending metalplates into cylindrical form which are afterward reheated and weldedfore with the apparatus used in bending such plates, after the plateshave been bent by means of the bending rolls, the adjacent longitudinaledges of the plates at the ends of the curved plates must be hammeredinto proper shape with sledges by manuallabor, which is a slow andexpensive operation.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means by which suchplates are given a cylindrical form and the edges of the bent plate aremade of uniform and with a proper amount of lap along the entire lengthof the bent plate.

In the drawings 2-2 re resent the two bottom'and 3 the top roll 0 a setof power bending rolls, mounted in suitable bearings on the shoes 4 anddriven through the spur gears 5 by means of an. suitable type of motorwhich-is operative y connected to the driving shaft 6.

Located above the bending rolls 2, 3 and extending lengthwise of theserolls is a runway track formed by the girders 7 which are secured to thecolumns 7 of'the runway structure and mounted upon the track formed bythe irders 7 is a traveling ram forming part 0% my invention which isarranged to travel lengthwise from end to end The rain as shown consistsof two parallel rollers 8 mounted in bearings 9 secured on the ends ofthe crosshead 10, and connected by one end to this cross-head is apiston rod 11 having on its opposite end a piston which is-operativelywhich i mounted in the fluid pressure cylinder 12, so as to move thecross-head l0 and rollers 8 1iiertically relative to the power bendingro s.

The fluidpressure cylinder 12 is provided with wings 13 formingsupports'which pro ject into therecessed slides on the track girders soas to' permit of longitudinal movement of the ram while preventing itsbeing lifted from its track when being used to reinforce and preventbendin'groll 3 at the beginnin of the plate bending operation, or inbending the longitudinal edges of the plate into engagement incompleting the plate bending operations. -.-The cross-head 10 is alsoprovided with guide rods 14 which operate through suitable guidesforming part of the cylinder 12 and cushioning means formed by springs15 on the rods 16 are provided to lessen the shock of the upward strokeof the cross head when being lifted in operating the apparatus.

The cylinder 12 of the traveling ram is connected by means of a flexibleconnection 17 with the slow down gearing 18 to a driving motor 19 bywhich the ram is caused to travel lengthwise on its ways in bringing theram in engagement with the entire length of the plate being bent. Asshown in the drawings, one end of the connection 17 is and the idlersheave wheel 21 on the opposite end of the runway, has its other endconnected to the opposite side of the cylinder 12. The cylinder 12 isdouble acting and fluid pressure is supplied to one end through walkingpipes 22 which are connected'by the pipe 23 with a suitable source offluid pressure, the opposite end of the cylinder 12 also being connectedby the pipe '24:" and walking pipes 25 with a source of fluid pressuresupply.

In the operation of my improved apparatus, the plate to be bent intocylindrical form is heated to the proper temperature and is then placedbetween the power bending rolls from one side at the proper angle. Theram referably in the position upon the runway s own in full lines inFig. 1 is then lowered by means of the fluid pressure cylinder 12, untilthe rollers 8 are in engagement with the bending roll 3 so as to form asupport for and prevent springing of this roll 3 during the plateforming operation. As soon as the plate has passed through the rolls 2?.and 23 sufficiently to come into proximity to or strike the rollers 8 orthe side of the cross-head 10, the ram is lifted by means of the powerCylinder 12 until the rollers 8 are above the plate bein bent. Thebending rolls are then rotate and the plate is passed farther betweenthe bending rolls and the ram is again caused to descend until therollers 8; are in contact with the outer surface of the plate beingbent, when the rotation of the bending rolls and necessarily the plateis continued. This operation causes one edge of the plate to be forceddownwardly into engagement with the adjacent longitudinal edge of theplate as shownat A in Fig. 1. The plate is then caused to rotatebackwardly and -forwardly be-tween'the bending rolls, this operationgiving the plate a substantially cylindrical form opposite the rollers8. The travelin ram after being raised is then moved longltudinally orin the direction of the axes of the bending rolls and is again caused todescend. .The .rolls are then rotated until the rollers 8 have pressedthe high edge portionsB and, in.

othersimilar operations the high edge pen tion C is pressed downwardlyuntil in en-- gagement with the opposite longitudinal edge portion ofthe plate bei bent. The plate is also moved backwa-r ly and forwardlybetween the bending rolls by rotating these rollsand is caused to assume9. cy-

lindrical form opposite the high points B and C. In this way the bentplate is formed to the desired curvature throughout its entire lengthand the lap is made uniform throughout its length. This is of particular va us in making the larger sizes of pipes and in making extra lengthpipes. The bent plate is then removed endwise from the bending rollswhen the apparatus is in readiness to again perform the bendingoperations as described.

The advantages of my invention are many and will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the. art.

By its use the plates are bent to the desired curvature and the oppositelongitudinal edges of the plates are brought into the desired closecontact and with the desired amount of la without difficulty, and thenumber of de ective pipes or tubes made in the later welding operationsis thereby greatly reduced. The ram is ada ted to operate all points inthe length 0 the pipes being used and in engaging with the top bendingroll 3 during the be inning of the plate bending operation rein orcesand prevents any spring in the top bending roll and greatly increasesthe efiiciency of the bendmg rolls. The apparatus is simple and iseasily kept in re an.

Modifications 1n the construction and aredges of the a track for saidcarrier, and means for movrangement of the parts may be made withoutdeparting from my invention. The plates may be heated or not as isdesired. The means employed for actuating the rain on its track as wellas into and out of its operative position may be modified and other'chaiwes may be made.

I c aim:

1. Apparatus for bending metal plates, comprising bending rolls, a rammovable toe ward and away from said rolls, a carrier on which the ram ismovably mounted, a track for the carrier and means for moving thecarrier on said track; substantially as described.

2-. Apparatus for bending metal plates, comprising bending rolls, anoverhead ram movable toward and away from said rolls, a carrier on whichsaid ram is mounted, a track for the carrier, and means for moving thecarrier on said track; substantially as described.

3. Apparatus for bending metal plates, comprising bending rolls, acarrier having a movable ram mounted thereon adapted to engage with andbend the marginal side plates held between said rolls,

ing the carrier on the track; substantially as described.

4. Apparatus for bending metal plates, comprising bending rolls, anoverhead carrier having a vertically movable ram mounted thereon adaptedto en age with and bend the marginal side edges 0% the plates heldbetween said rolls, a track for said carrier, and means for movin thecarrier on said track; substantially as 'escribed.

5. Apparatus for bendin metal plates comprising plate bending rolls, anoverhea carrier having a vertically movable plate .b'ending ram mountedthereon, means for moving said ram on the carrier into engagement with aplate held between the rolls, a track for the carrier, and means for.moving the carrier on said track; substantially as described.

6. In apparatus for bending metal plates, the combination with bendinrolls of an overhead track extending len hwise of said rolls, a carrieron said two a vertically movable plate bending ram on the carrier, meansfor moving the carrier on the track, and means for moving the ram on thecarrier into en agement with a plate held be tween the r0 ls;substantially as described.

7. In apparatus for bending metal plates, the combination with bendingrolls of a track extending lengthwise of said rolls, a carrier on thetrack, a ram movable toward and away from the rolls mounted on saidcarrier, means for moving the ram on the carrier, and means for movingthe carrier on the track; substantially as described.

8. Apparatus for bending plates, comprising bending rolls, an overheadtrack above sa1d bending rolls, a fluid pressure cylinder movablymountedon said track, means for movin said cylinder on the track, and a verticaly movable ram operativel connected to said cylinder and arrange to movetoward and away from said bending rolls; substantially as described.

9. Apparatus for bending metal plates comprising bending rolls, a ramabove said rolls, means for moving the ram toward and away from therolls and means for movin said ram in the direction of the length 0 saidrolls; substantiall as described.

10. Apparatus for ending metal plates.

comprism bending rolls, a movable ram above sai rolls, a carrier for theram and means for moving the carrier and ram in the direction of thelength of said rolls; substantially as described.

11. Apparatus for bending metal plates comprising bending rolls, a ram,means for moving the ram lengthwise of said rolls, and means for movingsaid ram into and out of engagement with plates being bent by the re sin different ositions relative to the len h of said roils; substantiallyas descri ed. a

12. Apparatus for bending metal plates comprising bending rolls, a rammovable toward and away from said rolls, means for moving said ramlengthwise of the rolls, and means for moving said ram into and out ofen agement with plates being bent by the rol 5, said ram having aplurality of antifriction rollers mounted thereon and adapted to contactwith the plates being bent; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

AUGUSTUS M. SAUNDERS. Witnesses: Y

C. H. STARR, -JAs. P. DAvxs.

